


Happy Anniversary

by Lothiriel84



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-21
Updated: 2013-05-21
Packaged: 2017-12-12 12:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/811699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lothiriel84/pseuds/Lothiriel84
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In all of the years she'd been working with him, Lisbon had slowly figured the dates that meant something to Jane.<br/>Future fic. There may be very slight spoilers for Red Dawn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Anniversary

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Forum Anniversary Countdown on Paint It Red.

In all of the years she'd been working with him, Lisbon had slowly figured the dates that meant something to Jane. There were bittersweet ones, like his wedding anniversary and his daughter's birthday; and painful ones, like the night Red John had murdered his family. Another meaningful anniversary was coming up soon, and that was the day that had seen the serial killer's final demise.

However, there were several other dates that she knew nothing about. For a man whose memory palace was nothing short of a fortress, every single day might come with the memory of smaller events that would affect his mood one way or another.

That was why she always raised a questioning eyebrow when he retreated to the attic, or simply decided to take a day off. Luckily this time around he'd chosen the latter, she hated the idea of him brooding in that gloomy space.

As likely as not he was just brooding somewhere else, but there was nothing she could do about it. She made a mental note to check on him as soon as she went home, then turned back to the load of paperwork she still had to go through before the day was over.

By the evening she was both weary and worried, she all but sighed as she finally turned the key into the lock and crept inside her apartment. Something immediately caught her attention, there was an appetizing smell lingering in the air and she could see a small light flickering in her living room.

She was staring at the candle that was burning on the table, which was set for two, when no one else than Patrick Jane strode in from the kitchen.

He smiled at her, then closed the distance between them and wrapped her in a warm embrace. For all that she'd been worrying about him all day, he looked remarkably fine to say the least.

"Happy anniversary, dear," he murmured softly, taking the time to nuzzle her hair.

As much as she enjoyed being in his arms, Lisbon could never switch off her brain completely. She frowned slightly and pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"Patrick, we only got together six months ago. There's no way we can have an anniversary to celebrate."

His eyes were now glinting with amusement; it was clear that he'd wanted to take her by surprise, and he'd quite obviously succeeded too.

"We do, as a matter of fact. It's ten years today, remember?"

Her frown only deepened as she tried to work out whether he was just kidding her. Jane looked serious enough though, an affectionate smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm talking about the day I first set foot in the CBI building," he explained after a moment. "That was the first time we met too."

Lisbon blinked like a deer caught in the headlights. Honestly this was the last thing she'd been expecting; it was rather sweet of him to remember the day so fondly after an entire decade had gone by.

Even though the day was permanently etched in her memory too, she'd never bothered to file the date for future reference. And while she always claimed that had been the beginning of the end as far as her promising career was concerned, she was actually far from feeling that way.

"So we're celebrating your first punch on the nose?" she asked playfully, but she couldn't quite disguise the hint of emotion behind her teasing tone.

Jane only laughed and pulled her back into his arms.


End file.
